Tasmania pilot to commence 1st March
Tasmanian pharmacists may be aware of the Tasmanian Community Pharmacy Program, scheduled to go live on 1 March 2024. Endorsed pharmacists practising in approved premises will be able to prescribe antibiotics for uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs). PDL continues to support the profession and members in the provision of professional services. PDL representatives have provided […]
Mitigating risks of the Opioid Therapy Program
Pharmacists have admirably navigated the changes to the provision of the Opioid Therapy Program (OTP) in 2023, overcoming numerous challenges whilst maintaining uninterrupted service to their patients. With pharmacists now becoming accustomed to these changes, the PDL Professional Officers wanted to take the opportunity to highlight some common incidents involving the OTP that have been […]
Electronic prescriptions
The introduction of electronic prescriptions has improved patient accessibility to medication and reduced the administrative burden on pharmacies related to faxed or emailed prescriptions. Most pharmacies now successfully operate a hybrid dispensing workflow that incorporates both electronic and paper-based prescriptions. Despite the benefits of electronic prescriptions, mistakes can still be made if the correct dispensing […]
NSW regulatory updates
Psychostimulant changes The PDL Professional Officers would like to bring to the attention of NSW pharmacists some recent regulatory changes regarding the requirements to prescribe the Schedule 8 psychostimulant medicines dexamfetamine, lisdexamfetamine and methylphenidate. As NSW pharmacists are aware, an authority/approval from the NSW Ministry of Health is required to prescribe or supply dexamfetamine, lisdexamfetamine […]
Medicinal cannabis
The prescribing and supply of medicinal cannabis is a rapidly expanding area of practice in Australia. With this emerging field comes the need for comprehensive risk management considerations and strategies to ensure patient safety and regulatory compliance. The following explores some essential risk management considerations for pharmacists who are involved in this area of practice. […]
Off-label prescribing
Off-label prescribing occurs when a medication is used for a purpose that is not approved by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). It may involve using a medication in a different dosage, route of administration or for a different patient population. While off-label prescribing is legal and sometimes necessary, it may pose ethical and safety […]
Mounjaro® (tirzepatide)
In recent weeks, the PDL Professional Officers have received a number of queries regarding pharmacists’ obligations and liability when dispensing Mounjaro® (tirzepatide). Tirzepatide is a long-acting dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. It is registered with the TGA and indicated for the treatment of adults with insufficiently controlled type 2 […]
NSW Pharmacy Trial expression of interest closes 15 November
Pharmacists have limited time left to register their interest in their pharmacy taking part in the NSW Pharmacy Trial, with the expression of interest process scheduled to close at 5pm on 15 November 2023. The trial aims to allow appropriately trained pharmacists to provide community access to important medications and treatments that are usually only […]
Delaying or declining supply of medication
The PDL Professional Officers often manage calls, incident reports and occasional regulatory complaints following a pharmacist’s decision to decline supply of a medication. Recently, the Professional Officers have also taken calls from pharmacists seeking advice on declining supply when they believe the prescribing of a 60-day supply (60 Day Dispensing or 60DD) does not align […]
Victorian Community Pharmacist Statewide Pilot announcement
Victorian pharmacists may be aware of the Community Pharmacist Statewide Pilot scheduled to go live towards the end of October. PDL continues to support the profession and members in the provision of professional services. PDL representatives have provided input to the Department of Health regarding risk management for this service. For those pharmacists considering joining […]
